US consumer goods company Procter & Gamble (P&G) and German pharmaceutical company Merck have hired Carey to get antitrust approval in Chile for P&G’s US$4.2 billion global acquisition of Merck’s consumer health division.

Chile’s antitrust authority, the National Economic Prosecutor, gave the green light for the deal on 20 August. The watchdog investigated potential conglomerate effects, but ultimately decided there were no serious competition concerns.

Jones Day and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP coordinated the deal globally. The transaction still awaits clearance in several jurisdictions and is expected to close next June.